Blood For Poppies
by girleater
Summary: And just like that, all the ridiculous notions of being a "hero" faded, and all that was left was the reality that her world was falling apart. -ella enchanted in the batman world- -not a crossover- -clearly au- -hattie/ella-
1. I

Title: _Blood For Poppies (title subject to change) _

Rating: NC-17

Fandom: Ella Enchanted/Batman

Ships: Hattie/Ella, Olive/Insanity

Summary: _"Look at you-you're so sly about it." Hattie smirked, hands tightening around Ella's neck, "but you're still no match for me." _

A/N: …I wouldn't call this a crossover, because it's not. There are no _Batman _characters, it's basically like an AU and…aw, hell I can't even explain it. The point is, it's not a crossover, and I have no idea where this idea came from. Actually, I blame it on Anne Hathaway being cast as Catwoman. Yes, that's it. Blame her for this. Anyway, let's be off with this…_thing. _

_I don't own anything at all. I'm writing this for fun, and no profit is being made. _

**I**

Living wasn't cheap, especially in New York. Overpriced restaurants, overpriced apartments…basically overpriced everything. It wasn't the place for those who barely had a dime sitting in the back of their jeans pocket, yet Ella Frell had to make do. Being kicked out of the house wasn't a picnic, and the only reliable income she had was whatever big score she could come by at a millionaire's house or an upper class businessman on the street. Either way, it wasn't her preferred way of living, but it would have to do…for now.

Ella had her sights on a particularly big heist-_Batcorp. _The fucking obnoxious, sleazy weapons dealership that Ella _swore _was double dealing under the table. Headquarters was in the middle of the city, affixed beside a mansion that housed the owners. Ella remembered seeing them one day, during a press conference that brought their loyalty to the United States into question. Of course, Olga Bast bullshitted her way out of suspicion, with her little fucking golden children by her side. The mere memory made Ella want to vomit, and with that in mind she set out, determined to rob them blind.

Being a high-class thief had its perks, and one of them was a costume. Ella fancied she look like a cat in black latex, and the little mask that showed nothing but the irises of her green eyes. It was perfect, it was discreet-it was everything she needed. Slinking about the city without being noticed was surprisingly easy, but then again Ella always felt alone in crowded rooms.

"Little rich shits…getting what they deserve…" Ella mumbled to herself, smirking as the Bast family mansion slowly came into view. It was beautiful, she had to admit, with its gothic architecture and those large windows that always had a light shining behind them, as if the family lingering inside really didn't sleep…like bats. Ella slid around the yard and its many obnoxious fountains and decorations, pressing her body against the wet stone. She turned her head, glancing around and keeping an eye out for any movement. Though she doubted anyone could see her, there was still the slightest of chances that one of the Basts would feel it necessary to come outside.

With a sigh, Ella dropped to her knees, taking a hard look at the mansion before shooting off, propelling off her heels and making no noise as she sprinted across the yard. She wondered fleetingly what would happen if she was caught. Charges would _have _to be pressed, after all, the Basts just _couldn't _live without their fortune! Never mind sparing some for the lower class, like Ella, who hopped from hotel to hotel with stolen bills in her pocket.

She came to rest against the back of the house, body pressed firmly against stone. Athleticism was her forte, and with a twist of her body, she eased up and caught one of the back windows, hand gripping the sill. If her guesses were right, and they usually were then she had found the window that led to the very back of the house. The place where the Basts probably paid maids to wash their clothes and fold them _just so. _With a bare audible groan of disgust, Ella slid the glass cutter from the pouch tied around her waist, and pressed it against the window. With ease, the window was ripped of any protective qualities it possessed, and Ella was free to slip inside.

As predicted, she was in the laundry room. Ha! She smirked to herself, laying the piece of broken glass gently on the floor and pocketing the glass cutter. The laundry room was so well taken care of, that it was pathetic. Perfectly folded clothes, laundry baskets stacked against the wall…_ugh. _Moving quietly, Ella crossed the room, pressing an ear against the door, listening close for _any _sign of movement. If anyone so much as set foot outside that door, then the _cat would be out of the bag, _so to speak. Hearing nothing, Ella twisted the knob, making sure that the door made no sound as it opened. Apparently, it had been WD-40'd pretty damn well, and opened smooth and without a sound.

Now, where to go….Ella glanced around the hallway, seeing nothing and hearing the same. Gently, she set foot onto the hardwood, and made her way down the hall. She needed to find the room she'd always heard rumors about-_rumor has it, the Basts have a shitton of money hidden in a safe. Enough to set someone like us for life._ The hallway was dizzying, and Ella couldn't remember ever being in a house so big. Her old home, the one she stopped seeing as a home after her mother died, had been large. But still, the Bast's estate could fit three of her old house. Hands pressed against the wall as she passed, she tried to gauge where in the hell their safe would be. And how exactly would she get into it…? Sure, robbing someone who had millions here and there had been easy, but they hadn't kept those funds in a fucking _safe. _

Moving a bit faster, and slipping up a few flights of stairs, Ella noticed one door at the end of another horribly long hall that had been left open. Raising an eyebrow, Ella slinked down the rest of the hallway and stood beside it. It was a bedroom, and surely enough in the corner of the room was a big ass safe sitting on top of a dresser.

"Are you kidding me?" Ella mumbled, rolling her eyes. "Intelligent, you ain't." She slipped into the room, finding herself in one of the most gorgeous bedrooms she had ever seen. The bed was one of those fucking canopy beds that she'd only ever seen on television and in movies. There was a window and a _balcony, _blocked off from the rest of the by elegant French doors, and as Ella came closer to the safe, she found herself wondering what it would be like to spend a night in this place…have breakfast with the Basts! Discuss what it feels like to betray an entire country for money!

Snickering, Ella placed her hands on the safe, cocking her head to the side and wondering just how to go about opening the damn thing-

"Excuse me,"

Oh, _fuck. _

Ella whipped around, face flushing-she had _never _been caught before…standing before her was one of Olga's daughters, the older one, Ella thought. She couldn't remember her name, and frankly, she didn't care. All that mattered _now _was getting out of this mess without the cops on her ass.

"Okay, listen…" Ella put her hands up, smiling as politely as she could, and trying not to take notice of how very naked the blonde in front of her was, "you-whatever your name is-we can work this out, okay? See, I'll just back away from your safe and, you can maybe…put some clothes on? Jesus…" Ella moved away, taking a seat on the blonde's bed and reveling in the blush that overtook her pale face.

"We are NOT going to _work this out!_" Blondie shouted, face as red as a goddamn tomato. She fumbled about the room before finding a towel and securing it around herself (too bad, Ella thought, her body was pretty hot), "_You _broke _into __**my **__house! _And _you _are going to get out!" Arms crossed, Blondie stared down Ella as harshly as possible. Ella stood, determined to overpower this little bitch and make of with the safe. She couldn't back down now, this was her chance to make it out of cheap ass hotels, and into a place of her own.

"And what if I don't?" Ella was shorter, and that was a problem, but that didn't stop her. Eyes narrowed, fists balled at her sides, she was ready to kick this girl's ass if need be.

"Do you not know who I am? My name is Hattie Bast, and I can have you locked in a prison cell if you don't get _out._"

Idle threats, Ella thought, smirking and stepping back.

"I don't give a damn _who _you are," Hattie's eyes widened, and without another word, she was pressed against the wall on the other side of the room, Ella's hands firmly placed on her shoulders.

"Oh, _no you don't…_" Hattie pushed back, knee pressed against Ella's stomach. With hands on her shoulders and a firm push, Ella found herself on her ass, wondering if _maybe _she should have tried robbing a bank instead. That probably would have been a good deal easier.

"If you don't get _out, _I will throw you out the window." Ella jumped to her feet, pushing back again, determined to get what she wanted.

"Suit yourself," Hattie hissed, hands coming to rest at Ella's hips. Ella yelped, cursing herself for sounding so weak, but that worry only lasted a second, and before she knew it her back had made contact with the window.

_Shit. _


	2. II

II

Hattie was certain she already had enough stress in her life, what with the daunting prospect of taking over her mother's company…and keeping her younger sister's ego up enough to avoid finding her dead in a bathtub…and, of course, the stress of being the police force's ace in the hole. As ridiculous as she felt when she thought about it, she was the stalwart Batgirl.

"My name is ridiculous," with a sigh, Hattie tossed the Sunday paper across the table. Mandy, the ever-so dependable Bast family cook, chuckled condescendingly and picked up the paper.

"Well, you never _did _have an imagination…" Many quipped, setting a plate of eggs and bacon in front of Hattie.

"Oh, _do _shut _up, _Mandy. I do so have an imagination! I just…at the _time, _you see dear, it _sounded _like a good name! I can't help it if I'm having second thoughts about it now." Hattie glared at Mandy, piercing her over-easy egg and grimacing as the yolk spilled out.

"Of course…a bit too late to change it now, though."

"Well, _duh. _The police already know me as Batgirl, and I'm not about to spoil the money I make over a _name._"

Mandy sat down across from Hattie, propping her chin up on her hands and regarding the girl in front of her with a curious expression.

"Why exactly do you do these things? I never would have thought _fighting crime _would be associated with you. Ever."

Hattie shoved a piece of bacon in her mouth and raised an eyebrow as she chewed. Swallowing, she pointed her fork at Mandy, "It's all about the money, dear. I have no desire to be a _hero, _or whatever the media sees fit to call me."

Mandy flipped open the paper, and sure enough there was a picture of Hattie gracing the cover, in her rather comical Batgirl costume. The gray spandex and purple gloves and mask…it took all Mandy had to keep from giggling. But she supposed Hattie's actions were _just, _after all, she kept the city's most dangerous criminals in check-for a paycheck, of course. But despite her reasons for doing it, Mandy couldn't argue against it. All she could do was keep Hattie's little secret from her mother.

"You do _heroic _things, you know." Mandy glanced at Hattie over the paper. Hattie snorted, shoveling more bacon into her mouth.

"I go around keeping criminals in check while wearing a spandex costume. I'd _hardly _call that heroic, Mandy."

Hattie glared, swallowing her food and regretfully remembering the first night she'd spent as _Batgirl. _It was during a rather boring night of going over the family's business secrets and attempting to focus on the impending guilt that would most likely come with ditching college in favor of taking over a business. She'd taken into account how _long _it would be before she really had control of Batcorp, and had remembered a _Wanted! _poster she'd seen on a walk through town. A troublesome kidnapper had graced the poster, and the police had been offering a rather handsome reward for his arrest…

With all the gadgets and gizmos her family had, she had no problem securing what she needed to arrest the little asshole who would give her a nice chunk of change. Finding him, though…that had been a task. Hours spent tracking license plate numbers and questioning supposed "witnesses…" but she had done it, and a nice stack of bills had been her reward. The police had recognized her, and requested her assistance full-time. And really, who turns down the prospect of stacks of bills on a regular basis? She made as much as stripper at a Bachelor party.

"The city certainly sees you as a hero…"

Hattie scoffed,

"I'm _not _a hero. I'm an important asset of the NYPD. I don't have the _angst _necessary to be a _superhero. _I still have one parent, I don't have daddy issues, I don't have heart problems, I have money, I'm not blind…and I'm not an alien with an aversion to kryptonite. Go figure."

Mandy laughed, putting down the paper and slipping out of her chair, "Yes, yet you wear spandex and call yourself Batgirl. _Go figure._"

Hattie glared.

Checking for glass in your skin wasn't fun. Ella had to learn this the hard way, as she stood before the bathroom mirror in her current hotel, checking for remnants of glass in her skin. Her costume would need repairs, but luckily she had enough cash to foot the bill.

"Little bitch," Ella mumbled, grimacing as she pulled a piece of glass from a rather nasty wound on her back. Taking a tumble from the window _could _have been even _more _hazardous, had Ella's natural ability to save her own ass hadn't come into play. She'd managed to hang on to a second-floor window sill, and let herself drop gently into a bush. Not the most graceful landing, but hey, it was better than hitting the pavement…

Groaning, Ella decided that there was surely no glass lingering in her skin, so she gave up for the time being. Plopping down on the hotel's bed (that she really wanted to take a blacklight to…) she flipped on the tv. She wondered if her attempted theft had made it to the new. Surely attempting to rob a prominent weapon's dealership would call for five minutes on the local news? Ella skimmed through channels, and finally rested on the local New York news.

"…_and in other news, the Bast family mansion was victim to an attempted robbery…" _

"Yes!" Ella leaned in, hanging on every word the reporter uttered.

"…_the robber fled out the window upon discovery…" _

"Bullshit! I was _thrown!_"

"…_eye-witness accounts pen the suspect as the infamous Catwoman, a burglar who has been setting her sights on nearly every millionaire in the city."_

Ella gaped, "Catwoman…? Why are they calling me Catwoman…"

"…_the criminal gained her name from the infamous criminal that terrorized New York in the late sixties, robbing museums, banks-and mansions." _

Ella couldn't resist the childish grin that crossed her face. She was being named after a famous criminal! She hadn't really _wanted _to be a criminal, no, she just did what she had to do, but this was exhilarating. Leaning back in bed, Ella watched as an artist's sketch of what everyone thought she looked like showed up on the screen. She admired the cat ears they added to her ask, and the little smirk that graced her lips. This could be fun…


	3. III

III

Research had always been Ella's strong point. Books, libraries-anything containing the written word felt like the closest thing to a home she had. More often than not, Ella sought solace in the New York Library, flipping through classic novels, plays, poetry…anything and everything. Today, however Ella had her sights set on newspapers. When the local news calls you Catwoman, the only thing you can really do is research. With her costume back at the hotel, needles and pins beside it, Ella decided to take a break from sewing. She needed to find out more on this Catwoman person. Perhaps she could learn a thing or two…if stealing was her only real outlet for money, then why not hone her craft?

"Why _Catwoman…_? Do I look like a cat…? Maybe they think I have a good body that _coils _like a cat…" Ella mumbled to herself, ignoring the irritated stares the librarian was giving her. She was only _mumbling, _it wasn't like she was shouting her statements through a bullhorn.

Ella flipped through another newspaper, finding only snippets about the masked thief that the reporter had called _infamous_. She supposed she could create her own image of Catwoman…she considered this, thinking about the little cat ears she had added to her costume. She'd even tried it on, meowing at the mirror and thinking that hey, she looked kind of like a sex kitten. Or a porn star before being disrobed and fucked without preamble. Ella made a face at the thought, and leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs and glancing around the library. Having a kind of _secret identity _felt, for lack of a better word, _cool. _It was fun to look around and stare at people, knowing that she could rob them blind at any second if she so chose. It was power, the likes of which she had never felt before in her entire life.

It was perfect.

"Look at the size of that reward…" Hattie gawked, eyes glued to the _Wanted! _poster on the bulletin board at the police station, the _Catwoman _sketch upon it. Hattie leaned in, inspecting the drawing, her upper lip curling in agitation. _This _was the woman who had broken into her house! Arms crossed, she walked over to the front desk, boots clicking on the floor. She was in her costume, and even though she criticized it most of the time, she couldn't help but feel wonderfully powerful and important in it.

"Thinking about going after Catwoman?" The officer behind the desk inquired, fiddling with his badge while Hattie looked anywhere but at him.

"Yes, Officer Bertram. I have plans to track her down and cuff her."

Officer Bertram raised his eyebrows, "Seems like she's been at large for a while. Started off as a minor pick-pocket, or so they say."

Hattie scoffed, "Oh, I'll find her. I don't care how long she's been around or how she got her start. She won't be stealing from anyone else." With a smirk, Hattie winked at Officer Bertram and stalked off, ripping the _Wanted! _poster from the bulletin board as she left.

The night sky was already upon New York, and Hattie smiled warmly up at it. If this _Catwoman _person was planning anymore heists, then what better time than at night? Slinking along alleys and down the street, Hattie kept her eyes peeled for any sort of movement. Fiddling with her mask, she glanced towards the _Batcorp _building. The lights lit up the whole city, and with a withering look, she wondered if owning the company would be everything she hoped it would be. What if it wasn't? What if it became nothing more than a stressor that would lead her into compulsive drinking to find a reprieve, like her mother? She pulled at the sleeve of her costume as she walked, biting her lip and loathing how it felt to have second-thoughts. She _would _take over the company, and she _would _be the best damn leader since her mother.

Ella took one final glance at herself in the mirror, smiling as she took in the changes made to her _uniform. _Her mask covered all except her mouth. It was perfect, and the little cat ears at the top made her want to giggle in satisfaction. She would be ten times better than the _old _Catwoman. She wondered if this _Batgirl _she'd heard about during her glances through old newspapers would seek her out. She didn't think the blonde, ostentatious little police mascot would be any sort of match for her. She couldn't help but want to run into her, and throw hands and prove herself as better than any of the police's playthings. She could destroy her, and rip off the little bat's wings.

Ella smirked.

Hattie was quickly growing bored of her search, and had slumped against an alley wall. She grimaced at the strewn trashcans, and turned her nose up. She _always _found her prey within the hour, not _within four hours of walking aimlessly through New York and ruining the heels of my shoes. _With a groan, she stood, and realized that she was standing in front of one of the sleaziest hotels in New York. With a scoff of disgust, Hattie stared up at the windows, noticing the light on in one. From what she could see, it looked like a bathroom window…_ew. _Curiosity got the better of her, and she found herself climbing atop the stacked dumpsters in the back of the alley. Upon making her way up them and precariously balancing herself, she found that she was able to glance inside the little, gleaming window.

"Ah-ha," she smirked, gripping the window sill and holding herself up. Hattie had never been very athletic, but it's a wonder what running after criminals and wrestling them to the ground can do for one's figure. She peered into the window, and her mouth fell open when she saw none other than Catwoman.

"Oh my g-ahhh!" her hands slipped, and with a yelp, Hattie found herself on top of the dumpster she had previously climbed. Her _surprise attack _idea officially ruined, Hattie found herself rolling over and catching herself on her hands as she slipped from atop the dumpster.

"God," Hattie gasped, dusting off her outfit and turning her nose up in disgust at the debris that came off her outfit. "This is so stupid!" she stamped her foot, crossing her arms like a disappointed child. What was she to do… She knew where Catwoman was, but she couldn't really storm into the hotel and demand entrance into her room…could she? Surely not…

"Hey!"

Hattie spun around, eyes darting back to the window, which was now open, and Catwoman's head was now sticking out.

"YOU!" Hattie screamed, scrambling to find her way up the dumpster again. "You-I need to-ow-apprehend you!" With her hands on the window sill again, Hattie did her best to attempt to swing into the room, but "Catwoman" did that for her, taking her hands and throwing her inside.

"You're an unwelcome guest," Catwoman sneered, as Hattie tumbled into the bathroom, barely breaking her fall with her hands.

"You've made yourself into an unwelcome guest before…" Hattie took a step forward, moving quickly and reaching out to grip Ella's hips, pushing her against the window.

"Oh? And how would you know, _Batgirl_?" with a sneer, Catwoman slid down the wall, easing out of Hattie's grip and moving behind her, pressing her against the window and gripping a fistful of her hair, "or have we met before…?" insinuation dripped from her words, and Hattie wondered if this petty criminal had somehow managed to figure out who she was beneath the mask.

"N-no…" she struggled, hating being manhandled like this.

"Oh, really…? We haven't?" She pressed her lips to Hattie's ear, "_Miss Bast_?"


End file.
